Ooooooo boy…

I think we’re going to see far too much of this gentlemen over the next four years.

Meet Sayyed Abdulla Al-A’ali who was a municipal councilor for the Central governate the last time around, and he successfully tried his luck this time around continuing his ride on Al-Wefaq’s coat-tails and got elected with a good margin too: 67%, so two thirds of his constituents either bought his spiel, or believed in Al-Wefaq’s manifesto, or just followed Scholastic orders and voted him in anyway.

Would they still have elected him after the gems he spewed in the GDN this morning? Here’s a selection – which I am hoping against hope is not the official line of his party, but thought jihad (aka humungously sustained brainfart) on his part:

Gem #1: wants to pass a law that would ban Bahraini women from appearing in advertisements wearing revealing clothes

Gem #2: He also wants to pass a legislation to keep them out of “male-orientated jobs”

Gem #3: he wants to reduce the retirement age for women and improve their pensions because he believes they should not work as long as men

Gem #4: “The problem is that women’s retirement age is 55, while it is 60 for men,” he said. “Many women can’t work until that age.

Gem #5: Mr Al A’ali claimed poor planning of the jobs market had left women doing “men’s jobs”

Gem #6: “This is an Islamic country and it is a disaster if Bahraini girls are forced to work as dolls,”

Gem #7: He criticised living standards in Bahrain, which he described as “one of the richest countries”

Gem #8: He said another problem existed between government salaries, which he described as high, and low private sector salaries. “If salaries paid by companies are government subsidised then things would certainly be better.”

I’m not going to bother to comment on his gems, they’re just too valuables and should be covered, coveted and hence should stay at home – his brain, but I would like to profusely thank Mohammed Al-A’ali (I hope no relation) the GDN reporter for such a laugh!

Therefore, let me congratulate the good Sayyed on receiving the very first TWITBTHIFD prize!

Comments

  1. Post
    Author
  2. ozzy

    I just dont get it..where was he thinking from when he was coming up with those “gems”…surely not from his brain

  3. Costa-guy

    My sweet-homie “Sayid”..

    I might disagree with “some” points, but all (gems) were approved by “most” constituents of the area.
    Believe me on that!

    Give him a break, he just got in.

    If you want a better laugh, listen to what the (other-side) is suggesting. They want women not to run for election, wear same as the Taliban women and for women not to work. (I swear) I heard that and tried not to discuss it. And still women are approving?!

    Plus as a (middle-of-the-road) person, gems# 1+6 sound quite good =P.

  4. H

    Ozzy: regretably enough, it “was” from his brain.

    ————————————————

    The thing that really ticks me off is that the majority of these waste-of-space’s put forward agendas, bills, and suggestions that are based on nothing but crap, if anything at all.

    How about fielding their governorates and actually run a complete investigation about people’s needs, rather than deciding for them? That’s completly rediculous!! You don’t just decide other people’s wishes, do you now?

    How about public polling? numbers and figures? something that reflects people’s needs?

    Isn’t it the last thing that we’d need? Yet another person, besides the you-know-who, to be over-paid, under-worked, to join “the man” club and screw your life even more so?

    Grrrrrr….

  5. Haji Zaal

    Before all mocked the khums-taker sayyed, behind his back and with him absent in his trial in this forum, I will take the tough position of his advocate, if I may. He probably will not find his way to here. If ever he does, he probably cannot write good enough English, assuming that mine is.

    To Gem # 1: Mainstream Islam has a dress code, based on Shariah. It is only right that our laws conform and/or lay statutory requirement that that code of dress prevails. I would ban all ads with revealing gear, men included. Now revealing has to be defined in ways that advertising experts would be so frustrated as to move the fence a notch or more to the liberal side.

    To Gem # 2: I would agree if the khums is to be applied in financing the keeping of women out from “male-orient jobs”. That amount of money every year is more than enough for a very wide bracket of “such jobs”. I would give him full freedom to widen and narrow down that bracket.

    To Gems # 3 and 4: He has it the other way. Women should not go/should not need to go to work at the age when they have small children needing to be attended to. Thereafter, they can go on working for as long they wish. After all, actuaries know they live longer than men. So the may as well stay at work until a later age. Besides, would not it be better, from his angle, that offices are empties of attractive secretaries and filled with wiser monsters?

    To Gem # 5: Leave all the needed and right planning that would ensure that women do not take “mens’ jobs” to the invisible hand – as Adam Smith would say – of the Khums once it is applied to financing Gem # 2.

    To Gem # 6: This cannot be wrong. He actually forgot that many also have had to work as prosts at times. He meant to call a spade one, but he called it a fig. AlAbdu Yokrau bil asa wal hurru takfeehil Isharah (الحر يقرع بالعصا والحر تكفيه الإشارة).

    To Gem # 7: Agreed. Standards of living are appalling. Has not the per capita GDP/GNP been contracting since a long time ago; middle-income portion of the population been dropping; human rights and human development expenditure remain non-existence, etc. Some doubt is to stay in whether Bahrain is a rich country to start with. It depends which definitions are applied in testing this hypothesis.

    To Gem # 8: This is patch work, for which most politicians are famous. For instance, as a result of such policies Bahrain University now has a total student population which is 10X its design student capacity and much lower standards of accepting students. Such patch work should have never existed. But, you need a whole paradigm change, right at the roots and head levels.

  6. Butterfly

    Thats why I didn’t vote for him and voted for A.Nabi. Unfortantely, majority in Bahrain think that ANY guy from Al-Wefaq must be the best choice!

  7. ozzy

    we should all sign a petition that any candidate who runs for parliment or municipal seat should pass and IQ test before they are declared eligible for running in the elections =P

  8. Geordie

    ozzy i cant agree with you more, the guy in question is in my area and im proud to say i didnt vote for him

  9. jasra jedi

    haji zaal ..

    i will take issue with every single one of your points. islam, and the prophet mohammed at the time, took radical views when it came to women .. gave us much more rights and tried to fight his damndest against the tribal patriarchial culture by establishing some ground rules.

    none of these jokers, sunni or shia extremists, give a rats ass about women’s rights. so, dont even try and defend our friend. or try and give any credibility to his points.

    1. hijab and niqab is not a fareedha.

    2. prostitution is the OLDEST profession in the world. and i sometimes find it hard to distinguish between a father who gets his daughter into an arranged marrage on the basis of ‘values’ or ‘ financial stability’ and prostitution.

    3. you would be surprised to find out how many women in bahrain actually support their families families .. both extended and nuclear. how many junkies do you know who are women vs men???

    so .. please. spare me. while khomeini shia iran has been better to women than salafi fundamentalist sunni saudi arabi .. its almost comparing 6th layer of hell to the 7th.

    i wish these religious bozo’s would compete on issues such as the economy, or education policies, or a welfare system .. but to even pretend to care about women? for the Love of god .. please dont treat us like we are stupid …

  10. M

    Haji Zaal,

    Keep talking like that, and you’ll get elected someday. Actually, I couldn’t get past Gem 1. What are you going to do if I am not a part of “mainstream islam”. How much is the fine? Will I be banished from the island or just thrown in jail to ponder the evils of fashion? You gotta be a lot more specific than that if you want my vote.

    CerebralWaste,

    “Try dealing with Kerry and Kennedy for your Senators!”

    Don’t be wasting any money on lotto tickets :no:

  11. Haji Zaal

    Ozzy,

    On the contrary, the Government’s preferred formula is: the the farther down from 100 the IQ, the more fit for MP candidacy is the bearer of it.

    Remember:

    (1) That one candidate had such IQ as to say that her brother was her guardian. She won … unchallenged. And she was the 1st MP in the GCC, with exacly 1200 potential voters. Of course if there were to be votes, only a flock of dogungs would have filled balluts in her constituency. So the way out with a view to avoiding the Government the embarrassment was to “convince” that woman’s two rivals to withdraw their candidacy.

    (2) That the 1st female judge in Bahrain and the GCC said, late in July 2006, on the Arabiya satillite channel, at a prime time, that, as a judge, she is not supposed to interpret the law. And that she would not have a problem passing the death sentence on a young man “if he deserved it”.

  12. Haji Zaal

    M, USflag:
    I would prefer to scuba dive with the dugongs, down South, than to enter the Parliament as the representative of these peaceful Regents and Regina’s. It’s more fun to be free than to be a castrated MP in this form of “constitutional monarchy”.

    If you had read between the lines, you would have realised that the term “khums-taker” is not a too friendly description. To cut it short, I also would ask that you read through to Gem # 8 and see if you get the whole perspective I had in mind, as I played this devil’s advocate.

    As I stated in the outset, I only thought that he should be defended if our trial of him in the Den is to be fair! After all, we demand a CONSTITUTIONAL monarchy. It’s unlike one such monarchy to try one of its beloved MP’s in absentia.

  13. Haji Zaal

    jasra jedi,
    Please read my response to M, USflag. Hope yinfakk izzaal.

  14. M

    Sorry, Haji Zaal; I cannot converse with you anymore as my feelings have been wounded by you picking on me and my new found flag icon. :no: You have seen fit to regard me as M,USflag twice but failed to mention Jasra Jedi’s flag or….gasp…Ozzy’s flag.

    It is nice that you think my flag is special, and it is; but you obviously have a problem with it or wouldn’t mention it so often. So just consider yourself at the top of my flag list. =D

  15. TEXAS

    I might disagree with “some” points, but all (gems) were approved by “most” constituents of the area.
    Believe me on that!

    This shows how Bahrainis vote for there secular group ie shee or sunni

  16. Ibn

    Haji,

    To Gem # 1: Mainstream Islam has a dress code, based on Shariah. It is only right that our laws conform and/or lay statutory requirement that that code of dress prevails. I would ban all ads with revealing gear, men included.

    Just who, or what, gave you the right, to dictate to my sister or my mother, how much leg they want to show? Hmm?

    Just who are you, to tell any woman, that she has no right to go sunbathing under Bahrain’s sun on her just-about-naked-body if she so decides?

    You dont own the woman. You do not own the beach. You do not own the sun. And I certainly didnt get that email from the almighty about his new ambassodor elect for the planet Earth.

    Instead, the woman is a sentient being – she owns herself. The beach is part of the ocean. The sun is part of a solar system in this lonely little corner of the galaxy where people like you are currently making it hell to live in. And any belief in god that you have is between you and a couple neurons in your brain’s limbic system.

    So please, quit PROJECTING your oh-so-holy eddicts into what my family can and cannot do.

    Our problems are not whether we can see someone’s aunt’s elbow, our problems are how to reign in the executive branch.

    Our problems are not dictating how much any one of us can work, our problems are giving ourselves enough freedom to work or not work as much as we want to.

    Our problems are not whether or not there are “Bahraini dolls”, or problem is meddling with the economy so much that it will eventually collapse on itself, dolls or no dolls!

    -Ibn

  17. Costa-guy

    Jarsa jedi: I dont want to defend or explain more, just read Haji Zaal’s comments. Your interpretation to Haji’s explanation sounds very wrong to me but I do respect your freedom of speech.

    Ozzy, H: Your style in picking-on people just because they don’t agree with you is pathetic. Did you listen to an election speech from that person who spent 35 years in teaching and now is a headmaster and a founder of library before accusing him of having a low IQ?

    Geordie: I proudly want to tell you that Ex-MP AbdulNabi Salman is a family-friend and also proud to tell I helped with Sayyed Abdulla Al-A’ali’s election team this year (not that big help)=P

    It’s the citizen’s knowledge that is not mature enough for the elections & that’s because it’s the first time most people vote. not the fault of the one who got in Parliment.

    I respect your choice & the area accepted the result with respect for both men.

    Majority rules, that’s democrisy. The same people your accusing this year chose AbdulNabi the last time who ran against one of the sons (relatives) of a mosque-shaikh.

    TEXAS: didnt get your point. How did that “quote” help you conclude that people vote for their secular group. the people “who happened to be religous & very conservative” are agreeing with those gems; thus, vote for Mr. Al-A’ali. Some other people dont agree; hence, vote for another guy. This how it goes (or at least how it should go)

    Sorry if sounded rude.

    No hard feelings all, but let’s just not discuss this issue on a personal level (I mean picking-on Mr. Al-A’ali). Try objecting on the election plan but leave his person alone. Please. That’s not the democrisy we are asking for.
    🙂

  18. Costa-guy

    If you don’t like something, object to it.

    If you like it, support it

    If such gems are going to be discussed, call your MP and tell him your objection or support to the idea.

    This how it goes..

    There is no 100% agreement on any topic (not necesseraly personal freedom) between the people of any area in the world, so I feel that this discussion is leading us to no where.

    These topics will be discussed and then approved or rejected based on it’s practicality

    Am I teaching Democrisy 101 here??

  19. Costa-guy

    and Ibn.. no one is telling what you should or should not do.. please do whatever you, your mother and sister want to do or much leg they want to show..

    It would be my pleasure to see you and your whole family express their freedom. believe me.

  20. H

    Costa-guy: In fact, yes I have paid his HQ a visit and listened to what he had said. Like you said, if one’s in disagreement, then they’d object, and I did.

    Also, I don’t believe that 35 years of teaching, nor being headmaster, nor establishing a library, qualifies one to be politically competent. Academically, maybe, but not politically.

    Show me political credibility, show me political competence.

    ps. pathetic or not, I will not defend my style in picking on people. Think what you want of it.

  21. ASKAD

    This is just al-wefaq people warming up to give us bigger gems. 😆

  22. M

    والله حاله!!! ناقصين هالاشكال احنا؟؟؟؟
    🙄

  23. Redbelt

    Hey Ibn

    I have a nice new car. Its mine. If you get in there, You are not allowed to smoke or eat anything. You may be allowed to drink water, but thats about it. Its my car, and my rules.
    Same thing with this country, or any country on Earth for that matter. When you go into a country you abide by thier rules. And – in the spirit of democracy- everyone in that country wants everyone to wear green plastic bags on thier heads, you just have to. Else, do not be there.
    If Bahrain wants to adapt such a dress code, we have to respect that decision, its a decision of the masses and its thier porogative.
    Of course, Earth still has mony other places to sunbathe and cars to smoke in.

  24. MHMLK

    I see they’re having to raise the retirement age in the UK to 68 for men and women. People are living too long and there aren’t enough young people around to pay for their pensions.

    Well Bahrain has plenty of young people but would they want to pay a huge GOSI contribution so their mothers / grandmothers can get a pension from age 50 and then find there’s not enough money left to pay for their own pensions. I doubt it

    Best to keep us women working as long as possible. Keeps us out of mischief.

  25. Jasra-Jedi

    Haji Zaal ..

    Its not you I have an issue. its the fact that you tried to give the idiot in question a voice. whether u were being sarcastic or not, the fact that u can make some defensible points on his behalf bothers me, from a logical point of you.

    I am not sure I like what u mean by a ‘khoms’ taker. The Ismaeli’s have the same concept. Governments everywhere (except in the Gulf)impose taxes ont heir citizens to fund their ‘governance’. And, if you are going to make a point against religious leadership and the way they raise money, then please point fingers at both sects. Al awqaf al jafarriya and al sinniya are both relatively vague, not transparent entities that yeild alot of power. And if you look at the salafi control of ‘charity’ in bahrain, you wouldnt be pointing fingers at the ‘khums’ concept on its own. In other words, be careful about waving sectarian flames at this stage. The real issue here is the interlapping between religion and government. any by religion, both the sunnis and the shia extremists are screwing up. Iran is not a functional democracy any more than Sudan is.

    Costa-guy .. how generous of you to allow me freedom of speech on this blog. I am very grateful to you. And, incidentally, why respond to Ibn’s comments by reffrering to how much leg his mother/sister want to show? What is your obsession with sex? You and your friend Sayed Abdulla Al Aali? Why are you so goddamn obssessed by what women do and dont do, and whether we work or not, or whether we show our hair or leave it loose? Why dont you do me a favor and tell your friend that if he really wants to help Bahrain, let him go and sniff around the villages in Bahrain and see the extent of incest and rape and sexual abuse. Let him have the balls to do that .. and then we can talk about whether he really gives a damn about the community.

    honey, let me give you a piece of advice. when someone runs a campaign based on ‘values’, he is opening his person up to attack. if he had stuck with the issues, then the debate would have revolved around the issues. that, my dear, is democracy 102. 🙂

  26. Ozzy

    COSTA GUY, Chill Out!!..i was brought up in a country where we all have freedom of speech in any way we want to speak our mind..i am glad u got upset on my way of pikin up on people, may be that will help you realize what a freedom of speech really is

  27. Ibn

    JJ,

    And, incidentally, why respond to Ibn’s comments by reffrering to how much leg his mother/sister want to show?

    To be fair to CostaGuy JJ, I was the one who first raised the issue on how much leg my sister/mom are allowed to show, to make a point. 🙂

    But CostaGuy, although this person might be a family friend to you, at the end of the day, he is advocating some very very archaic positions, probably fit for ancient fuedal societies, but not fit for modern life in the 21st century. So yes, his positions are open up for attack, because his stances arent on how he likes his steaks done – his stances have to do with the freedom of 50% of the population.

    RedBelt,

    I have a nice new car. Its mine. If you get in there, You are not allowed to smoke or eat anything. You may be allowed to drink water, but thats about it. Its my car, and my rules.

    This is true…

    Same thing with this country, or any country on Earth for that matter.

    …but this is false!

    Redbelt, the car is your personal and private property. Therefore, you can do with it all you wish, and no one can tell you otherwise.

    But a country, is a community of people. Ruling that any woman who enters your car must wear a scarf, is VERY different, from ruling that any woman in the country must wear a scarf. Its your car, so you can make up any kooky rule you want. But you dont own the space around your country. Ownership is not sovreignty.

    Remember this: No vote, no one, no religion, no entity, no majority vote, no committee, absolutely nothing, can remove your rights. And guess what -A woman has a right to chose how she dresses, just like a man. Because individual rights, cannot be voided by anything, majority vote included.

    To make my point hit home:

    If Bahrain wants to adapt such a dress code, we have to respect that decision, its a decision of the masses and its thier porogative.

    Ask yourself what your reaction is going to be, should Bahrain vote that you, yes you, are to wear a pinapple on your head for the rest of your life. Must you respect that? What if Bahrain voted, that all women under the age of 30 are to not leave their homes, emergencies aside? Would you “respect” that? In fact, should the women of Afghanistan under the Taliban have “respected” the law of beatings by police for showing their ankles, and killing of women in soccer stadiums because they were found to be holding hands with a man? This is what you ask to be respected? What if Bahrain voted for something similar? Respect?

    Think about it.

    When someone votes, asks, demands, to violate your individual rights, that is not to be respected. Ever.

    -Ibn

  28. Hajji Zaal

    Jasra-jedi,
    U r right my friend.

    I am sorry if my words created an air of bias. I assure that all I had in mind was to tilt the balance in favour of still more balanced argumentation about – two-sided arguments are less mundane; livelier.

    Khums-taking still goes on. But the ways in which those huge sums of cash capital are spent is no longer in line with the concept of State/Nation-Building. It produces more turbined and largely ignorant cannibals.

    So, as you can see, the sole aim of my suggestion was two-pronged, actually: (i) to bring about this fact, and (ii) to offer a practical way in which the khums can be re-aligned from its current bad uses, to more constructive Stately purposes. The Sayyid wants to issue a law programme needing huge amounts of money to fund. My answer aims to lubricate/pave the way for the Sayyid and other khums-takers like him for them to defray part or all of the ‘stately’ and ‘worthwhile’ programme which they want to have in place including kicking women off all the jobs that they consider to be “men’s jobs”.

  29. Post
    Author
    mahmood

    I bet that the Sayyed in question does NOT take the Khums, but most probably gives it. Those who are eligible to get the khums are those poor and needy sayyeds exclusively.

    The way that the khums (literally means one-fifth) is divided is that one half of that goes to needy people and projects while the other half id dedicated to help other sayyed’s (direct descendants of the prophet).

    Therefore you premise of the use of that particular tax is at fault. And the way that you have put it sounded (is?) very prejudiced and sectarian.

    Here is more information about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khums

  30. Haji Blind, Mute and Dumb

    Mahmood,
    I had wished to see either a report from an unbiased authority on the ways in which the khums is ACTUALLY spent. Failing which, provide links to audited annual reports of major khums takers prepared on the same accepted accounting principles as banks and companies the world over are required to comply with.

    Unfortunatley, the wikipedia thing has no higher evidenciary power than anyone’s own assertion about Khums. Having been involved in khums distribution/collection activities, the writer finds the Wikipedia thing on which you haVE based your faulty conclusions (above 01/12/2005 at 3.22 pm) to be no more valid than the rosey dream of its writer the night before he uploaded his version of khums definition.

  31. Post
    Author
    mahmood

    Let me guess… you think of yourself and an intelligent and erudite man, right? But what’s the proof? All we can see is flawed English (spelling and grammar) and much more important completely nonsensical “arguments” designed as hopeful logical bombs rather than ones seeking a good exploration of the subject at hand, in every single occasion almost going off at a tangent.

    Now, adopting your same logic, I would like to see all of your appropriate professional certification and university degrees before I continue to have this discourse with you.

    I have a fair idea of what those would be.

  32. naddooi

    Back to the actual gems…

    Someone, please define “male-orientated jobs”? Does that like mean everything outside teaching, nursing, cooking and cleaning? Or are we talking about just construction work?

    Seriously, vague!?!

    And really, I don’t mind improved pensions, great, I don’t mind not working THAT long (though I think it should be left to the discresion of the individual), but NOT because I cannot, NOT because I am unable! Probably more capable then half the men “working”!

    How about better maternity leave? instead of the measly 45 days! Seriously, 45 days?! I mean, I’m not married yet, I’m already dreading the fact that 45 days are not enough to be leaving a baby in someone elses care!

    How about protection from abuse, and NOT from the “forcing” to become dolls… I know it may not be the case in some instances, but in most I REALLY doubt those girls that are “dolls” because they were “forced”…

    Was it the manicures and pretty accessories that “forced” them?

  33. Haji Zaal

    Keep guessing, Mahmood. I do not mind. Try another one. You’d better be right this time, my friend!

    Have a nice brainstorm!

  34. Post
    Author
  35. Ozzy

    Wise man once said!!
    “The smarter you think you are,the dumber you ought to be”

  36. Jasra-Jedi

    Haji-Zaal ..

    You write in an interesting manner. Obviously very intelligent. And your thought process in and of itself is very logical. However, what scares me is that I can’t quite get a grasp on your politics. I don’t quite know what you stand for. And, I am a little intrigued by your self description as wearing a long beard in another post.

    Would you be described, in today’s Bahrain, as a Sunni Islamist? Do you think people may find you sectarian and anti Shia?

    And, why would you choose a name for yourself as Haji Zaal … why the frown? Do you think God is a sad entity?

  37. Haji Zaal

    Awww. Which of my photos did you look up, Jasra-Jedi?

    Thanks for the courtesy. Actually a very timely positive testimony. I am afraid someone real important reading it might condemn it as a conspiracy or paid-for ad.

    To your questions and at the risk of diverting the subject (I ask Mahmood to delete whatever is not relevant): –

    I hope I will prove being simply to be a human from Bahrain. Some people describe me as atheist, others ask me to say dua’a for them in my prayers, and still others think that I am a Satan worshipper. Zaal is just one pseudo, from many others I have used in this Den.

    In short, إيليا أبو ماضي describes, in vivid and artistic details, many oddities of human nature in his famous poem called الطلاسم. Your finding my posts relatively free from political sclerosis was heartening and otherwise testifies that I am just a human from Bahrain.

  38. jasra jedi

    hmmmm. you sound like a politician, or a politician in the making … you answer the questions you want and not the ones that i asked …. interesting … and very dangerous.

  39. Maverick

    Maternity leave should be made compulsory for 6 months for all mothers with paid leave for the first month and job security, pension and job protection for the next 5 months. This must be made for all women, whether Bahraini or expat.

    It is immoral to distinguish between expat or Bahraini in this repect. It is also immoral to state that womens palce is in the house to care for the babies. We fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers are their to add to the richness of the upbringing of a child. Sure we should not force our wives to work and some feel that the poor salary that the fathers bring in is the reason that wifes are forced to work. But perhaps the wives like to work for their own cultural and personal reasons as well. Moreover women like to develop themselves too. Some politicians like to politicize the whole issue and claim that Higher salaries and I agree for the polulace will solve problems, but this does not take into case the single mothers, divorcees (especially those abandoned by their husbands), laborers etc who are suffering due to poor pay scales.

    Why not focus on non-discriminatory policies like equal opportunities, salaries, laws etc for all irrespect of sex, cast, tribe creed.

    It is stupid to think that women cannot work at any age. Our grandmothers worked till they were bed ridden and awaiting death, our mothers work inspite of back problems and inspite of birthing several kids. They work out and in and still hold the family together. One day mom is in bed and the whole family collapses.

    There are other benefits that women need, through a family law which is being sidelined because these mullahs and mutawas will loose their hold of slavery on the women and on society. And there are some women who like to be held morally and mentally and told what to do for fear of being sent to hell for disobeying their imams.

    Am I wrong in my understanding here? It may seem that I am generalising, but in this tribal society that is what seems to happen.

  40. mona alsayed

    للأسف الشديد ، قمتم بتحريف الكلام ، وجعل السيد يبدو وكأنه لا يحترم المرأة والعكس صحيح جدا ، وقمتم بمناقشة الكلام المحرف
    السيد عبد الله مجيد وهو بالمناسبة والدي، ومعروف جدا للقرية ، ونشاطاته كثيرة وتاريخه طويل في خدمة القرية ، ولم يتسلق عبر الوفاق
    إن كنتم موضوعيين قوموا بمناقشة الكلام الذي ذٌكر من مصدره الأصلي
    ولا تحرفوا الكلام وفق أهوائكم
    والدي يحترم المرأة جدا ، ولا يريد إهانتها ، ولكن إن كانت الإهانة في صون كرامتها ، فعصركم هو عصر الجاهلية
    !!

  41. Post
    Author
    mahmood

    Welcome welcome Mona. For those who do not read Arabic, Miss Mona is the good Sayyed’s daughter, and she is vehemently defending her father’s stances regarding his declarations on women, and she states that if what he said is offensive to us, then we are living in a pre-Islamic world, etc.

    Mona, with all due respect to you and your father, what he was reported as saying is completely at variance with the dignity of women in general, and no self-respecting woman would want to be under the rule of the likes of your father. It is – and I say this with the utmost respect to you and your father – It is simply not his position to treat women as inferior objects, nor is it in his purview to alienate women so much as to treat them and regard them as below their menfolk. Women, in this age of equality, should be treated with respect and given their complete due as men enjoy.

    Therefore, I contend that your father spoke out of line and he should evaluate his wisdom and thoughts very very carefully before uttering them. Remember too that he is part of a political party and he is speaking with the party’s voice, therefore, and especially as his party is surrounded by enemies wanting to see it fail, he should never go against the part line at this stage in the game. And when he is speaking about such contentious issues especially as now he is a politician, he should take criticism in his stride, or act upon it intelligently, rather than sending his daughter to scour the net and defend him in the fact of criticism in his stead.

    With respect, again, to you and your father, I disagree with his stances completely.

  42. mona alsayed

    Mr . Mahmood
    My father did not send me !
    He did not read what you wrote yet.
    And you don’t have the right to say that
    Thank alot before sending accusals
    In Arabic -> عيب
    !!

  43. Haji Zaal

    Here is an accurate translation of the post on 03 Dec 2006 at 7:05 pm by Ms. Mona Alsayyid

    I am afraid to say that you might have misstated words, making it read as though the Sayyid does not respect women. While that is not true, you discussed not his original statements but your own misquotation.

    For the avoidance of doubt, Sayyid Abdullah Majeed is both my father and a well known man in the village. He has left a trail of philanthropic works, since a long time and has climbed not on the wave of the Wifaq party, but on his own credentials with his people.

    I urge you to please state his words accurately, then and only then, can you subject him to any mocking. Does not it behoove you, in your forum, to state words as said; and not as befits your own preferences?

    My father does respect women deeply and has never intended to insult women. Now if protecting women’s dignity is an insult, then perhaps we are in a new era of ignorance.

  44. mona alsayed

    Thanks ba7rainiya

    Thank you alot Haji Zaal. This is better that saying :
    “she is vehemently defending her father’s stances regarding his declarations on women, and she states that if what he said is offensive to us, then we are living in a pre-Islamic world, etc.

    !!

  45. Costa-guy

    التكرار يعلم الشطار

    Costa-guy
    No hard feelings all, but let’s just not discuss this issue on a personal level (I mean picking-on Mr. Al-A’ali). Try objecting on the election plan but leave his person alone. Please. That’s not the democrisy we are asking for.

    من فينا اللي متعصب؟

    H:

    Costa-guy: In fact, yes I have paid his HQ a visit and listened to what he had said. Like you said, if one’s in disagreement, then they’d object, and I did.

    Also, I don’t believe that 35 years of teaching, nor being headmaster, nor establishing a library, qualifies one to be politically competent. Academically, maybe, but not politically.

    Show me political credibility, show me political competence.

    ps. pathetic or not, I will not defend my style in picking on people. Think what you want of it.

    The “Academically maybe, but not politically” sentence is so not an argue-statement.

    Even a cracker-head would make a good politician.

    I don’t want to explain more, I am already tired of this discussion.

    The problem is not what Mr. Al-A’ali said or not. It’s that Islamics think they are right, Democrats think they are right too. And everytime we tell both sides to sit together and discuss issues, Hell rises. And after agreement, we should convince the government to obey the rule or issue established. Then after the rule or law established, we have a problem with the people when they don’t obey such laws.

    Did Mr. Al-A’ali say such things or not? It doesnt make a difference as long it’ll get into all this discussion and bureaucracy.

    This time we have the Islamists (both sides) in the Parliment with Liberals in the Shura. Next time we might have a more sophisticated distribution.
    The net result is that an 80% people + government happy with a law established.

    That’s Democracy 103 for you JJ

    Jasra Jedi

    What is your obsession with sex? You and your friend Sayed Abdulla Al Aali? Why are you so goddamn obssessed by what women do and dont do, and whether we work or not, or whether we show our hair or leave it loose?

    Do I even have to reply on that?

  46. Post
    Author
    mahmood

    Mona, I hate repeating myself, so please see my (arabic) replies on Mona’s blog.

    Suffice it to say here that Mona will have a heck of a time on her hands firefighting over the next four years!

    And another thought.. I don’t think that anyone who “cherishes” women would ever demand for them what the good Sayyed has demanded. To me, all of the “good things” he is proposing and his daughter is vehemently defending is nothing more than the views of a person who habitually degrades women (they’re weak, they should be protected, they shouldn’t work as long hours, they shouldn’t work “in men’s jobs”, they should retire early, they should get more benefits, all equates generally to make them unemployable and sequestered in their homes), rather than elevates them.

  47. mona alsayed

    I do not want you to repeat !
    you just ignore what I wrote and says some things different because this is what you want to see.
    My last writing here was thanking.
    And replaying to your wrong accusals what you did not even care to give an apology for as an respectful libertarian.
    You can think what you want , but you should respect the others and you don’t have to change my or my father or anybody’s speech .

  48. Post
    Author
    mahmood

    You want an apology for what exactly my dear Mona? For me pointing out my disagreement with your father, who is now a politician representing the whole of Bahrain and is no longer exclusively your property?

    I will not.

    So grow up for God’s sake and don’t waste my time.

    If you don’t want to hear any criticism NO MATTER HOW HARSH THAT CRITICISM IS OR SOUNDS, then tell your saintly father to get out of politics.

    I can assure you that he will not be missed.

    Now grow up.

  49. mona alsayed

    لم لا تكف عن تحريف كلامي؟
    أنا لم أقل لك قدم اعتذارا عن انتقاداتك لوالدي ، فلا تحرف الكلام ، بل اعتذارا عن اتهاماتك بأني مرسلة من قبل والدي ، بينما كان كل ما ذكرت هو كلامي وأنا مسؤولة عنه ، لا تقدم اي اعتذار ، ولا تغير وجهة نظرك لأنك لست مستعدا لذلك أصلا لكن أنا معي أمانة ساوصلها في نهاية هذا النقاش العقيم
    كعادتي عندما أقرأ كلاما يعني والدي ، قد أرد بوجهة نظري الخاصة ، والتي لا يحترمها البعض هنا ويمنح نفسه الحق في إدعاء أنها مرسلة من أشخاص آخرين ، كما أقوم بإرسال نسخة من الموضوع إلى المعني به
    وهو السيد عبد الله مجيد ، وهذا هو رده الرسمي على الموضوع دون قراءة المداخلات التي لم أرسلها له

    الحمد لله الذي أدبني على الترفع عن سواقط القول، وأشكر والديّ الذين ربياني على ذلك ، وأفتخر أن يكون العلماء قادتي والوفاق الوطنية الإسلامية مدرستي ، وأهل منطقتي رصيدي، فإن فزت ب67.7% أو 76.7% كما عدلته الصحافة فآمل أن يكون فوزي في الآخرة لا في الدنيا ، وفي قلوب المؤمنين ، وأبرأ عن المهاترات مسترشداً بقول مراجعي الكرام (إذا لم نستطع أن نوحد صفوفنا ونكون أمة واحدة لا أقل من أدب الخطاب والكف عن لغة الشتم والدعوة للتناصح والتشاور ) وأحمد الله أن ما وعدت به تراه العيون يتحقق على أرض الواقع.
    قال تعالى (إن الله يأمر بالعدل والإحسان وإيتاء ذي القربى وينهى عن الفحشاء والمنكر والبغي يعظكم لعلكم تذكرون)
    وفيما ابتسر من قول واُقتطع من حديث من صحيفة GDN فإنه لا يعدو نصف الصورة كمن يقول : ولا تقربوا الصلاة ، وقوله وويل للمصلين ، ويتناسى ما بعدها .
    فالدعوة إلى كرامة المرأة وعفتها أياً كانت وإسناد ما يناسبها من عمل لها وتوفير الظروف المهنية التي تتناسب مع طبيعتها ودورها سواء في دوام العمل أو في التقاعد أو في إجازة الأمومة وساعات الرضاعة وغيرها هي من حقوقها مطلب إنساني، والدعوة إلى تقاعد المرأة في سن مبكرة خيار إستراتيجي تسعى إليه العديد من الأطراف بما في ذلك الكثير من النساء العاملات ، ويحقق فرصة للمرأة العاملة لتكملة دورها وللقضاء على ظاهرة بطالة الإناث والزج بهن في أعمال دونية في القطاع الخاص كالحضانات ورياض الأطفال التي تحتاج إلى دعم حكومي، وما أكثر العاطلات الجامعيات المسجلات في لجان دعم العاطلين وفي الهيئة الوطنية لدعم المدرسين العاطلين عن العمل التي أتشرف برئاستها .
    فإن أخطأت في تقديري فأرجو التسديد من الله ، والتوجيه من الناصحين المخلصين ، وآمل يا اخي الحبيب أن تكون منهم ولا يشط قلبي وقلبك عن درب الحق فنكون من الخاسرين ، فكل إناء بالذي فيه ينضح .
    أخوك
    السيد عبد الله

  50. mona alsayed

    By the way,
    Do not write about my father if you do not want to waste your valuable time because you well get replies that does not agree with you !!!!

  51. Post
    Author
    mahmood

    Ehm. Can someone please tell him that Parliament is not really a minbar in a ma’atem, so enough with all the religiosity? What we actually need are technocrats who know what the country need now and in the future, rather than throwing a few ayas here and there as if using them will miraculously solve our problems.

    But maybe this kind of thinking and speeches do work in a village, who knows, I can guarantee you however that these won’t work in a “modern” parliament.

    My dear Mona, as I said before, your (saintly) father is no longer your exclusive property. He chose to be a politician sworn to serve the whole of Bahrain through his tenure, and that includes serving me too. Therefore, it is my duty to criticise him in any way that I like and what’s more, he’s got to take that criticism with a smile. If he can’t or won’t then he does not belong in parliament. Get him to go back to teaching, or get back into the ma’atem or whatever he wants to do with his life with my full support.

    Getting back to the crux of the issue here: Women need to be treated equally. They need to get jobs as much as men do. They need to be given the opportunity to divorce their husbands if they do not get along with them. They need to get assurances of getting custody of their children if they are judged to be able to provide for them. As they generally live longer than men, they need to stay in their jobs longer than men do. They need to be given the same divisions of inheritence as men do. They need to be treated as human beings. They need to be masters of their own fates, rather than dependent on the benevolance of men.

    I’m quite saddened that an intelligent and articulate woman that you do not actually oppose your own father in this regard and find what he says as the gospel truth without the slightest question in your mind as to the possibility of him being wrong.

    I know that he is a sayyed, that means he is related to the prophet, but it doesn’t mean that he himself is immune from wrongs.

    If he is, and me being a double sayyed myself (alawi) then I must – by definition – be even more correct than your saintly papa!

    Any further objections?

  52. can we talk

    فالدعوة إلى كرامة المرأة وعفتها أياً كانت وإسناد ما يناسبها من عمل لها وتوفير الظروف المهنية التي تتناسب مع طبيعتها ودورها سواء في دوام العمل أو في التقاعد أو في إجازة الأمومة وساعات الرضاعة وغيرها هي من حقوقها مطلب إنساني، والدعوة إلى تقاعد المرأة في سن مبكرة خيار إستراتيجي تسعى إليه العديد من الأطراف بما في ذلك الكثير من النساء العاملات ، ويحقق فرصة للمرأة العاملة لتكملة دورها وللقضاء على ظاهرة بطالة الإناث والزج بهن في أعمال دونية في القطاع الخاص كالحضانات
    ورياض الأطفال التي تحتاج إلى دعم حكومي

    I am peeved.
    there are many things that get me upset but none as much as people supposedly fighting for women’s “rights” like in the above paragraph. the poor hapless women who need protection, guidance and guardianship till they die. no thank you.

    1) the constitution does say in article 5 “their equality with men in political, social, cultural, and economic spheres without breaching the provisions of Islamic canon law (Shari’a)”. that means being treated equally in the work place. equal pay, equal opportunities, equal benefits according to contribution, not gender.

    2) I’m not entirely sure what male-oriented jobs are. are we talking construction here, or anything outside of teaching and nursing? either way, a woman should be able to be apply for any job she wishes and have the right to be considered fairly. there is no such thing as women’s nature and men’s nature. there are good people and bad people among both men and women, there are gentle folk and crooks among both genders, there are male chefs, designers and decorators and there are female builders and firewomen. there are no more lines.

    3) the last two lines are very confusing because what could be more nurturing than childcare? and why is childcare dismissed as lowly job? if it is too lowly, then who will do it? men? expats? who?

    4) and this is the whopper
    والدعوة إلى تقاعد المرأة في سن مبكرة خيار إستراتيجي تسعى إليه العديد من الأطراف بما في ذلك الكثير من النساء العاملات ، ويحقق فرصة للمرأة العاملة لتكملة دورها وللقضاء على ظاهرة بطالة الإناث
    Please please please will people please stop talking about early retirement? that would be the worst thing to happen to us. thanks to the wonders of technology and modern science, people in general live much longer than they ever have, and the age of retirement should go up, not down. people at the age of 60 are now still fit and able and should not forced into retirement when they have so much to offer. this is especially the case because we now start our careers later than they used to, because of the time it takes to acquire an education.
    In addition, retiring older people and replacing them with young employees would mean lower contributions into pension schemes and higher payouts, which leads to bankruptcy. how will people manage if their pensions can no longer pay them when they are ready to retire?
    and. what are women supposed to do when they retire early? stay home and knit? have coffee parties? please..
    this is not a solution to unemployment. women today are bank managers, consultants and professors. their retirement is not directly correlated to the employment of other females. plus, in order to find more jobs for qualified unemployed hopefuls, you don’t have to release other Bahrainis from their jobs. you can create more jobs. you do that by encouraging entrepreneurship, and providing the unemployed with marketable skills and work ethics. you introduce minimum wages for all, make “slavery” illegal and make it harder to bring in expatriate workers if suitable qualified locals exist. and educate young people so they don’t think that their country owes them a living no matter how many offspring they produce.
    i can think of 50 things to do on the road to solving unemployment and none of them include early retirement for anyone. that is not a “strategic option”, it is a bunch of ignorants trying to decide what others should do. if people want to retire early, let them. I want to work for a very long time. don’t decide for me. please, no favours..

  53. Post
    Author
    mahmood

    I just realised something.. the good people of A’ali got rid of Abdulnabi Salman, one of the most democratic, modern, moderate, non-sectarian, active, intelligent MPs of last parliament for this guy? =O

    The mind boggles…

    But an explanation is ready at hand. Maybe I should put up a countdown clock again already!

  54. Haji Zaal

    Oh, and I had thought early that this thread would be dull.
    Now, unlike in other places, Bahrain Labour Law, for the private sector at least, does not specify an age for retirement. It leave the matter for the decision of the employer and employee. Further, that law spells in specific details the ending of work contracts, which I (for one) find to be fair – including that termination by either party but especially by the employer is subject to such rugged criteria that courts would likely find more often against, rather than in favour of, employers. In cases of such finding, the courts can impose compensation taking into account all relevant matter – which include the age of a terminated worker.

    As for earlier retirement age for women, Bahrain law for social insurance, which include old age retirement benefits put women in the same brackets as men but for women they enter brackets five years ahead of their male counterparts. As such, all the Sayyid seems to suggest is that the said five years in favour of women is not weighty enough. I do not see any thing wrong with that. The principle is there in the law as it exists. He did not bring the principle from any where his critics – in this forum – have accused him to have done.

    I intend, as a last post in this Den, to translate the Sayyid’s press release which his learned daughter Mona, (may Allah bless her) quoted above (Arabic) – in hope that there some return to responsible talk in here. Meanwhile, if the Sayyid can enlist only the learnedness of his said daughter – as can be gleaned more from her writing in both Arabic and English, in cyberspace, in mostly a men’s forum of an alien mind set, I would say, I need no greater evidence that he is a staunch supporter of women.

    A. Nabi Salman was good and his absence from the Majlis could have been avoided if Bahrain was not gerrymandered for election purposes. If he an the Sayyid were from the same village, we should thank that village for showing how walladah (fertile) and patriotic it is.

  55. Post
    Author
    mahmood

    Here’s one suggestion for your: your meandering thoughts would become a lot clearer if you were to adopt simple English, rather than the convoluted way you use it. It doesn’t sound sophisticated at all, but just plain dumb and takes away from whatever you are trying to say, as most people I guess, and that includes me, don’t know what the hell you’re going on about most of the time.

    I shan’t wait with baited breath your translation, because if you do use the same kind of language, and I suspect that you will, people will still flounder at the first paragraph.

    Now, adopt a position and stick to it for God’s sake, don’t go all over the place and not arrive at any conclusion.

  56. Maverick

    Bring in family planning and encourage people to have 1 wife and 2-3 kids only. This will stop over population and solve a multitude of problems.

    Stop inter family marriages between cousins, that will solve another bunch of problems from occuring.

    Man hss 2 wifes, on wiht many kids another with 4 kids and he cannot pay his electicity bill and 3 kids die in the fire and these mullahs talk about womens rights and hijabs etc like there are no serioud problems in Bahrain. Wake up and smell the coffee….there are more serious issue at stake in Bahrain. To hell with retirement. People should be made to work hard here and then paid if the job is completed. Laziness and lethargy is the name of the game here. In one week, the CPR office managed to issue my sisters CPR with a incorrect name format and the the passport office stamped an incorrect date on the visa. Now I have to struggle to find a parking several times to get to these offices, pay more money, spend more on photos, what about justice for my inconvenience!!

    I may sound petty, but such mistakes are made by incompetent people who are lazy and waste of time.

    Sure there is discrimination here, why not address that as Mahmood has suggested. All politicians have to take criticism. Because they have diplomatic immunity does not preclude that they are immune from law and legal responsibility to the public / electorate.

    God I have a head ache… we better end this one M. Some people cannot get the picture……like the Queen in Snow white they only want to see their face in the mirror……..Lahoalawalakuweta illah billahi…..

  57. can we talk

    “mostly a men’s forum of an alien mind set”

    ???
    i don’t think so.

  58. Maverick

    What do you mean “CAN WE TALK”? I am lost…you want to continue the discussion…..sure I am game… :yes:

  59. Post
    Author
  60. Maverick

    Oh habibi I am alwasy calm, I love a good chat. I was just confused as to what she was referring to. Thanx for the clarification.

    Hows the back buddy?

    Get some Sri Lankan papaya (the long ones) from Aljazeera Supermarket. Even if they are not ripe get them and keep them in your store or a warm place to ripen. It is great for your diet including watermelon.
    😆

  61. Haji Zaal

    As per Mona Alsayyid, her father had this to say before reading the interjections which she did not send to him: –

    I thank Allah for directing me towards not falling in rotten talk and my parents for installing this virtue as a part of my behaviour and value system. I am proud that only scholars are my leaders; that Wifaq Islamic National [party] is my school; that the citizens of my area are my ‘bank balance’. Whether my win in elections was 67.7% or 76.7٪ (as the press re-stated), my hope is that I realize my win in the hereafter and in the hearts of the believers. I would exalt myself from drivel talk, in pursuance of the teachings by my honourable gurus (if we are unable to unify our arrays and be one nation, the least we can do is to talk with dignity, and while avoiding to indulge in swearing, to call for being true to each other and to consult each other. I thank Allah that what I had been promised is now visible to the eye and true on the ground. (إِنَّ اللّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاء ذِي الْقُرْبَى وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاء وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ [النحل : 90]) – Translates as: “God commands justice, the doing of good, and liberality to kith and kin, and he forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: he instructs you, that ye may receive admonition”. Quran Chapter An-Nahl, Verse 90.

    I would like to say that what got published in the Gulf Daily New was both incomplete and out of context.

    It is in line with human nature to call for the preservation of women’s dignity and chastity by all means, as well as to assign to her tasks and assignment that befit her nature and to preserve for her a set of suitable industrial conditions. That both at her place of work; or in her retirement or maternity leave and hours for lactating, et al.

    Calling for early retirement for women is a strategic choice cherished by many, including not a minor portion of working women of today’s world. Not only does it enable women to perform their role and eradicates both women’s unemployment and their being forced to work in marginal jobs in the private sector, e.g. in nurseries and kinder gardens that need governmental subsidy. Unemployed female job seekers are many and fill the lists of the support committees for the unemployed and those of the National Commission for Unemployed Teachers, which I am honoured to be its chief.

    If my assessment and way of thinking is wrong I ask Allah to correct me and guidance by the really true ones around. I do hope, my beloved brother, that you be one of them and that my heart and your do not swerve away from the right path or be losers. Each pot can allow to seep but its own contents.

    Thank you Mahmood for your suggestions and for allowing your content to seep so early in the game. I do hope that I have done justice to Alsayyid translating his words, and this English is simple enough for even you to read and understand – not flounder at the first paragraph.

  62. Post
    Author
    mahmood

    Your translation is inaccurate. But we’ll let that slide for the moment.

    So the good Sayyed believes that he’s won by a margin of 76.7% and not 67% has he? My my, with all the pious talk he’s certainly not very humble and has a huge ego it seems. Why else would he point this out?

    Let’s let that slide for a moment too.

    The issue is that this teacher of 35 years can’t do simple maths!

    Looky here at the official results:

    S. Abdulla Al-A’ali = 67% (5,779 out of 8,617 votes)
    Abdulnabi Salman = 28% (2,396 votes)
    Ibrahim Al-Duaisi = 5% (393 votes)
    Abduljalil Salman = 1% (49 votes)

    How is it that he contends that he got 76.7% then? Dyslexia? Or just can’t do the math.. and this is the guy that is going to look at the national budget?

    God help us!

  63. Haji Zaal

    I agree with the Sayyid. Whether the win is 67% (1/3) or it is 76% (3/4+), both comes to an astounding win bestowed by the people who know him better, and whom it behooves you to respect. No, you say: “two thirds of his constituents either bought his spiel, or believed in Al-Wefaq’s manifesto, or just followed Scholastic orders and voted him in anyway“. Is this your way of attaining your Den’s Mission Statement? – i.e. “Now I try to dispel the image that Muslims and Arabs suffer from … in the rest of the world”. But we’ll let that slide for the moment.

    You make the false claim of being a supporter of women, yet you have been so impolite to, and actually disparaging of, Ms. Mona Alsayyid, who does not just happen to be a lady but also a female Sayyid(ah) – i.e. a woman who has a common under-root with you going all the way to the Prophet (pbuh) – you claim to be a “double Sayyid”. That despite you conceding that Mona was an “intelligent and articulate woman”, which she is.

    Let’s let that slide for a moment too.

    Ooop, I just remembered I had promised that the previous posting was going to be my last, in this forum. In fact, that’s okay. Because it is better to stop here and let your whole farting “Hyena’s Den” slide to where it belongs, faster and sooner.

  64. jasra jedi

    Haji Zaal …

    I dont know how long you have been frequenting the Den, but let me tell you, your manner and approach reminds me of Steve the American, bless his cyber memory.

    Whilst I like the fact that you are stirring things up, I have to tell you, you are being very arrogant.

    Calling Mona Al Sayed a ‘learned’ woman as opposed to someone who can write both English and Arabic (as any public school student can) is extremely insulting to her. It implies that you are mocking her. It implies that you are using her passion and her naivete and her rather sweet attempt at defending her father to make a far more dangerous point. You are using her, and banking on the fact that most people here would not recognize that.

    She isnt learned. She is educated. And she is bilingual. And she loves her father. And she doesnt yet realize that if her father is a politician, she is going to have to develop a very think skin.

    As for your very thinly veiled insults to Mahmood, why the hostility? Why not debate on the issues and drop the sarcasm? Unless you like to score points on how insulting you can get and bank on people’s ignorance that they wont actually know that they are being insulted?

    As far as I am concerned about the good little sayed, (with all due respect Mona), I find this sentence unacceptable.

    “It is in line with human nature to call for the preservation of women’s dignity and chastity by all means, as well as to assign to her tasks and assignment that befit her nature and to preserve for her a set of suitable industrial conditions”.

    My chastity is my business.And no one is assigning anything to me.

    And if the good sayed wants to protect women, then have him abolish zawaj mutaa and zawaj misyar. Or have him amend sharia for rules that govern divocrce and child support. or have him abolish 2nd and 3rd wife marraiges.

    The the lerned Hajji can make his point.

  65. Costa-guy

    Mahmood
    I just realised something.. the good people of A’ali got rid of Abdulnabi Salman, one of the most democratic, modern, moderate, non-sectarian, active, intelligent MPs of last parliament for this guy?

    The mind boggles…

    AbdulNabi Salman accepted the loss and was the first person to congratulate Abdulla Al-A’ali. “The good people” of A’ali did NOT get rid of Mr. Salman. They elected him once and he is still with them.

    The guy you mentioned is modern, moderate, non-sectarian, active, intelligent, believes in democracy but ISLAMIC. That’s what is so hurting for liberals in the area.

    Try objecting to one of his gems as I did & you’ll realize what I meant.

    No-one asked for an apology for what you think or what you do (you mr.Mahmood or any other liberal). People want respect. If you don’t, then also you are free not to do so and no one is objecting on that. Just realize that such actions & situations would weaken your side.

    By such attitude, you (yourself) are giving others the chance to lable you as a “secratian” as you dont respect other points of view.

    Yes true, Liberals are “sectarians” too as much as Islamists.

    Is it a matter of mocking?? So now we are debating whether it is 67% or 76% or that he doesnt do simple math so he is not competent to look at the national budget?

    Do you REALLY think he doesnt know how to count? or doesnt know how to talk? or really can not investigate an issue? or really the “5779 voters” who chose him were completely blind-folded?

    We might be new to the Election-thing but people nor Al-Wefaq are dumb enough to support Mrs. Munira Fakhroo nor chose Mr. Abdulla Al-A’ali to be a representive for the Society in the area.

    Didnt like the “Al-A’ali is Bahrain’s people property” expression as he is also a family person and his family has the right to have their father’s support.

    The use of “Brainfart”, “Bozo”.. etc..

    All these things helped me realize that living with the extremists is as bad as living with the so-called “liberals”.

    Democracy 104: In Democracy, all sectors including “liberals” suck.

    God Help Bahrain!

  66. Costa-guy

    عفوا لكن إسلوب النقاش غير حضاري من كلا الجانبين

  67. M

    Haji Zaal,

    Thank you for translating, because it now leaves no doubt in my mind what the good gentleman’s sentiments about women are.

    “as well as to assign to her tasks and assignment that befit her nature” Pray tell what is her nature and her role oh wise one? He may be a very nice guy, but his underlying demeaning tone confirms he is nothing but a male chauvanist pig.

    Defend him if you will, but all he has to say is women are entitled to same opportunities that men have. Pretty simple.

    Did I tell you I was a female welder, bodybuilder, fireman? 🙄

  68. Post
    Author
    mahmood

    you have been so impolite to, and actually disparaging of, Ms. Mona Alsayyid, who does not just happen to be a lady but also a female Sayyid(ah) – i.e. a woman who has a common under-root with you going all the way to the Prophet (pbuh)

    Ah. So that’s your logic then. Her and him being “sayyeds” make them above criticism because they can trace their roots to the prophet.

    Excellent. Very good point. And very germane argument Haji whatever. Keep on that stream and you’ll get somewhere… who knows, because I’m a double sayyed I’ll wait for you at the gates of Heaven and vouch for you so that you could jump the queue and dive into that river and sunbathe with beauties!

    But apart from all of that wishful wishywashy thinking, your statements show nothing by myopic views and ill-begotten stances which might very well inveigle your way into the good naive sayda’s heart.

    As to me, I stand by what I have said before and will continue to do exactly the same again the future: I will continue to criticise politicians as I see fit. If they don’t like it, they’re more than welcome to resign, if YOU don’t like it, don’t let the door hit you on the way out of my den.

    At this point my friends, I would like to announce that I have started the Official Mahmood’s Den Parliamentary Brainfarts Register to which Mr. Abdulla Al-A’ali is the very first inductee! Needless to say that I shall keep track of the parliament’s cerebral waste moments and diligently register them, and keep adding the tally of individual members so that at the end of the parliamentary year or the end of this parliament’s term, we can actually go and present the “winner” with Mtv’s TWITBTHIFD Award!

  69. Post
    Author
    mahmood

    Costa Guy, get over yourself and brush that chip off your shoulder. It’s starting to weigh you down.

  70. win for one

    Mahmood,

    I wish you better results than you have met in your career as an aviator, trader or a writing, self-proclaimed thinker and saviour of Arabs reputation in the rest of the world. I wish you luck and will keep an eye on your future progress, as long as you remain wide-eyed or visible.

    Jasra-Jedi,

    Happy birthday 2U. Let’s see if by latter high school years your assertions would still stand, we’ll leave the testing for that time. For now let’s just record and leave them to rest safely in liquid nitrogen. (1) Haji is arrogant; (2) Mona is naïve; (3) Sayyid’s idea’s are bad; (4) Jasra-Jedi’s chastity is his (hers?) alone. Did I summarize right your verbosity, to ready it for storage in LN?

    Oh and thank you for appreciating the resort, on my part, to avoiding frivolousness even as the Hyena used it as the only way for all debates.

    M USFlag,

    I would not suspect the correctness of you being both a female welder, bodybuilder and fireman. I would only remind that I was not a wholehearted and blind acceptor of the Sayyids programmes, but acted as a moderator to bring sense about, rather than leave the nonsense to pile up unchecked. Now I realised that this forum is all too hopeless. But if it is true that your do all you say you do for living, my question to you is would not you rather that you did one or two things to secure a comfortable, decent living? No? How about becoming entitled to retirement benefits sooner rather than later?

  71. Post
    Author
    mahmood

    😆

    What was that expression that really fits you? Ah, it’s: You’re a puffed up smidgen of blowfish shit!

    It took you most of the night to come up with this? How many dictionaries and thesauruses did you go through to construct these words of wisdom? What they indicate is not wisdom of course, just the desperation of a peeping Tom!

    Disgusting. Now bugger off, I thought that entry was supposed to be your last, but people like you just don’t get it.

  72. won241

    SURPRISE SURPRISE, so no dictionaries need be used in the Hyena Cesspit … why was it another Chatham House or the MIT?

  73. Post
    Author
  74. M

    Haji Zaal, aka win for one, aka oh never mind,

    “But if it is true that your do all you say you do for living, my question to you is would not you rather that you did one or two things to secure a comfortable, decent living?”

    Thanks so much for your concern for my welfare and longevity; but of course the answer is simple and straightforward, I want to do and be whatever I want as determined by me and as is my right as a human being regardless of my sex.

    “I would not suspect the correctness of you being both a female welder, bodybuilder and fireman.”

    While I would suspect there are a lot of things you don’t get, perhaps you would like some more rope to hang yourself with and explain why not. BTW, I believe the job of moderator of this blog is already filled, so as they say, don’t quit your day job. 😉

  75. Ozzy

    MAN!!! these brain farts of “Sayyed Abdulla Al-A’ali” has really hit hard Haji-Zaal and his supporters brains..Somebody please tell me is it the same Bahrain i left three years ago or is it just that people of Bahrain have turned there heads away from fact and reality..I hope my visit to Bahrain is not going to be disappointing in coming weeks..

  76. Post
    Author
    mahmood

    Och, think naught of it laddy. Bahrain transgressing all of these issues with time. We have always been multicultural and always been understanding. What’s we’ve been passing through is a blip on its timeline that will soon (in the context of history) go away to restore what we always were. Quite liberal!

    You’re more than welcome and hope that you thoroughly enjoy your visit.

  77. Haji Zaal

    ADMIN EDIT:
    copious brainfarts removed by admin

    Haji خرطي if you have any honour left in you, you would respect what YOU yourself promised and that is to never come back here again. I’ll hold you to that promise and shall delete any and all entries from you regardless of whatever name/acronym you choose to use.

    You are not welcome here any more, yalla bara3!

  78. can we talk

    “the many ‘aka’s’ were caused actually by the need to bypass firewalls and filters designed to gag Haji Zaal”.

    I’m not surprised. most of what you write reads like goobledygook. you seem to have a preference for the “wein athoonak ya habshi” approach.

  79. Post
    Author
  80. can we talk

    ???!!!
    has something happenned to this forum or is it just me?
    it seems a few people think that if you string some English words in a row the result will mean something!

  81. Post
    Author
    mahmood

    Nah, the poor boy has a hard on for the girl, hence his vehement defence (which has been noted by her truly), and as he’s too much of a coward to tell us what his real name is, he will just have to capitalise on his dreams!

    But he lives in hope by using a platform which is not his to continue to be noticed.

    My job is to help him into obscurity. And the more we just ignore him, the faster he will disappear.

  82. Post
    Author
    mahmood

    I have every respect for Islamists. They are member of the society and will always be. I have the highest respect for people like Shaikh Ali Salman, Shaikh Isa Al-Jawdar, Shaikh Mahmood Al-Mahmood and Shaikh Isa Qassim for their various and generous contributions to society. These are all facts.

    My quarrel with Abdulla Al-A’ali has nothing to do with his being Muslim, nor with the way he chooses to practice his religion, this is up to him and between himself and his Creator. My quarrel rather, and please re-read the original post and subsequent comments, is that his views about women and showing them as inferior human beings who require the “help and protection” of man are false and have no place in this age.

    If you have a problem with MY view on this, then you are more than welcome to try to change my perception. I’m all ears.

  83. Ozzy

    For a moment i thaught i was in a Parliment when reading all those postings! 😆

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